“Education, (including self-education) is an essential dimension of transformative action, and compassion in all we do has never been more necessary. Our speakers this year embody all of these vital qualities.”

Products bought in Ireland from illegal Israeli settlements deprive Palestinians of their homes, their farms and their livelihoods, say bishops as they ask for support for the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018.

On a visit to region devastated by war, Archbishop Eamon Martin appeals to Christians to support Trócaire Christmas appeal which “eases people’s suffering and allows them to dream of brighter days ahead”.

“The election of a person with extremist opinions on a range of issues – from women to minorities to the environment – will further destabilise Latin America, as what happens in Brazil affects the entire region.”

People are facing severe shortages of clean drinking water, food and medical assistance. The disaster zone has a population of 1.4 million people, with around 70,000 already gathered in crowded evacuation sites.